More than any other makeup artist, Laura Mercier is known for creating gorgeous skin: flawless, soft, glowing complexions that are usually found naturally only on nymphs. No matter, there are Laura Mercier products to fake it, and fake it well. Mercier, who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her cosmetics empire, has built her brand on the premise that every woman deserves to feel beautiful and that accomplishing that goal is easy if you're armed with a few basics. Before there were Instagram filters, there was Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer, still a best seller. (At left, a few of our other favorites.) While she has worked with every A-list celebrity and model on the planet, Mercier is committed to helping all women enhance their individual beauty. "Makeup seems so superficial, and it is so not superficial," she explains. "I've worked with so many real women, and teaching them how to do makeup well is gratifying. You look at a person who may have a lack of confidence or may be sick or sad, but when you bring makeup to their face, it instantly helps their mood and boosts their energy. That is very powerful." Anyone who has experienced the transformative power of Mercier's Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer would certainly agree. Here, Mercier's top tips.

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CHOOSE MAKEUP THAT BRINGS YOU JOY "Makeup is an accessory like jewelry; add it according to your mood and what you are going to do that day. Elegance is important in my philosophy, that there is harmony in what we do on the face, hair, and clothes. It doesn't have to be complicated or super trendy. The philosophy is just to be true to yourself."

DON'T SKIP CONCEALER "Skin is the biggest part of the face's structure. If you cover sun spots, broken capillaries, breakouts, and dark circles, all of a sudden you can see the eyes, the brows, and all of the features. If you don't correct the skin, whatever else you do will not look great."

USE LESS FOUNDATION "You want people to say, 'Your skin looks great!,' and not, 'Your makeup looks great.' We have to see the pores on your face and the skin's transparency."

HOW TO LOOK YOUNGER "Don't try to hide wrinkles—that only enhances them. You have to compromise. I have wrinkles and darkness, so I just cover the darkness, and then I don't look cakey. And find a corner of daylight in your room and check your makeup. That is so important."

BALANCE YOUR FACE "Too much is no good. If you do dark smoky eyes, you need to do paler lips. And if you do a statement on the lips, put the minimum on your eyes. A light liner and mascara is enough to make your eyes present but not make a statement with red lips. It will always be chic and never be wrong."

Mercier has been a Bazaar favorite for decades, designing iconic cover looks for top models and celebrities, including Kate Moss, Madonna, and Linda Evangelista